Purpose beyond Profits

Many long-running cause marketing campaigns ceased to exist this year. Lee’s Denim Day, Yoplait’s Save Lids to Save Lives and Campbell’s Labels for Education to name just a few.

So what’s going on? Could this be the death knell for Cause Marketing?

At Rodman & Associates, we think not. Companies–and their consumers–have become more sophisticated, and they are demanding more from Cause Marketing campaigns. The evolving trend is for corporations to define and create a unique program that reflects the core DNA of the business itself.

Outstanding examples include:

AT&T’s Texting Can Wait,

CVS’s decision to not sell tobacco products and their Quitters Win campaign,

H&R Block’s Budget Challenge, a free teen financial literacy program in the form of an online game, and

Dove’s Real Beauty campaign using real women in all shapes and sizes.

These innovative examples of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) invite consumers to be the change. They add to the national conversation. And they allow the company to “Own” the issue. All making for a stunning transition in CSR!